Easy ideas for bringing people together

Welcome to Tidy Thursday! Here at VolunteerSpot, we’re committed to simplifying the busy lives of parents, teachers and active volunteers. Along that theme, we’re pleased to present guest organization expert April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach! Today, April shares ideas on how to make breakfast-on-the-go a homemade treat. Thanks, April!

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Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas

By April Welch

This morning while making pancakes I realized I probably haven't shared my own breakfast strategies with y'all.

So here goes...

Each weekend I try to make a family breakfast & while pumping out the pancakes, waffles or fruit salad I just keep going.

What I mean is ~ I'm already there ... making the kitchen a mess, prepping food, taking the time to stand at the stove, having to clean ... so I make a double or triple batch.

Usually the kids are hanging out with me & we can have some great conversations (bonus family time!).

Then, I put the leftovers in the fridge either by portion size (the fruit salad) or in a quick grab-n-go container. The waffles & pancakes can easily be put in the toaster (like a piece of bread) to warm up & the portion size ensures easy access!

This simple strategy has eliminated the "making breakfast" task on busy weekday mornings when we all are pressed for time! And I know as we pull out of the driveway the kiddos have eaten something I made (love quality control on the ingredients!).

The next step for you is to figure out what your family likes in the mornings & how you can 'bulk it up' the next time you make it. Remember, you're already there just mix up a little extra & throw it in the fridge for the week!

(My favorite pancakes to make are the whole grain pecan with maple syrup - they make the house smell great warming in the toaster & we all love them!)

While her philosophies are centered on how individuals are ‘wired’ she believes in providing a fun and educational environment with simple solutions to all organizing dilemmas. She offers live workshops, virtual organizing, tele-classes, habit assessments, public speaking, a radio show online and most recently Mental Clutter Coaching. April is the Franklin Covey® Family Organizing Guru & the Spokesperson for ListPlanIt.com April can be found on: Facebook and Twitter

Fantasic Fall Festival Ideas

By Kristin Fitch

Most schools and churches have fall festivals or fairs once school gets underway. In order for festivals to be successful the school or church must plan what activities, games, food, and entertainment to have. The fall festival can be one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for the PTA or other group putting it on.

Let kids explore, create, design, touch and imagine during your Fall Festival. It is all about the experience! Easy games are great but they can quickly lose kids’ interest so mix it up a bit and add a few new and fun activities each year.

A quick note: A silent auction is often a good idea if you are trying to raise money. Usually your organization or school asks local businesses to donate items to use for a silent auction. For example, our local Play and Bounce Play, Kangaroo Jacs gives away a Free Birthday Party Package our school can auction off. And a local fire station gives away 1 birthday party at the station. You can also ask businesses to sponsor a booth, activity or game. For example, see if Home Depot will sponsor a Planting Station or Building Station, providing the materials for free and instructions.

Here are several Oldies but Goodies Festival Games you can set up:

Putt Putt: Either a single short hole or several holes for the children to play. It is easy to have a volunteer build a basic putt putt hole or you could buy or assemble one with materials.

Bean Bag Toss: There are many variations of this concept, but basically allow each child to throw 3 bean bags through a hole of a wooden cutout or into a decorative container.

Tic Tac Toe Toss: Create a wooden tic-tac-toe box and toss bean bags to try and get 3 in a row.

Spinner Wheel: Create a big wheel with spokes and paint on pie shapes- each slot will have a different word on it for prizes or extra tickets, or a try again.

Penny or Ball Toss: A similar to the game at Amusement Parks- put together a group of glass containers (ex. Wine carafes) and fill them with water (add a drop of blue food coloring for fun) and allow the child to try toss 3 pennies or ping pong balls into any of the glass containers.

Boat Races: Get a large tub or children’s water play table, fill it with water, 2 boats and get 1 small squirt guns- set the boats of and let the kids squirt to the finish.

Relay Races: Set up an area of the school ground with wooden stakes and the plastic ribbon to make lanes. Decide on a race, such as, Spoon Race (carry an egg), or potato sacks, or 2 legged race.

Funny Pictures: Make big painted bodies or heads with the face cut out on wooden boards or foam board and use a Polaroid to take picture of the kids.

Obstacle Course: create a fun and silly obstacle course outside or in the gym. Or create 2 obstacle course lanes so 2 people can race each other.

Some Newer School Festival or Carnival Ideas

Airplane Competitions: Make an airplane and compete for furthest distance. You can have both a kids’ and parents’ competition.

Make and Take Fossils: It is easy to make fossil prints for kids. This mix can be made ahead of time if it is in a sealed container. Bring in leaves, sticks, shells, fossils for the kids to make an impression of.

Cupcake Decorating Station: Get plain cupcakes or cookies and lots of tubes of colored icing and sprinkles. Or try food markers in different colors. Let the kids get creative with their food!

Giant Bubble Station: Make a bubble solution and large bubble wands out of string and straws. Let kids take a turnmake giant bubbles.

Get Crafty Recycled Art Table: For the month or two before the festival ask parents and teachers to save certain plastic containers and boxes. Set up a station with art supplies (colored tapes, paint, markers, glue, fasteners and recycled boxes and containers). Show a couple of examples of projects the kids could make. Such as a Milk Carton Boat or the idea below”:

“Make a Self Portrait” Art Station: Have paper, makers, paint or colored pencils at an art station. Allow kids to make a self portrait. Have a mirror on hand and instructions and an example. Or let kids try and draw their teachers. Here are directions for a self-portrait painting and back to school portraits by Art Teacher Kathy Barbro

Fun Stations

Scary Hairy: Kids get temporary hair color sprayed on their hair or vote with tickets for their teacher to get his/her sprayed.

Petting Zoo or Animal Rodeo: An area where kids can pet and feed small farm animals. Make sure the school allows for animals. There should also be an area to clean up (hand sanitizer, etc..) after touching the animals.

Book Swap or Book Sale: Encourage reading and get kids excited about finding a new book. Try a book swap where you bring in books and get to take a book or do a Book sale and have your local community donate books (gently used or new) and kids can book a book for $.25 or $.50.

Clothing Swap: Have families bring clothes that do not fit or have not been worn to the shoe festival and set it up like a store. Allow families to come in and take a few clothing/shoe items they might need.

Kristin Fitch is a parenting expert, author, educator and mom of three beautiful boys. She is also the CEO and Editor of Ziggity Zoom, LLC which hosts several crafting, parenting and activity sites including Mommie911.com, ZiggityZoom.com, and CuriousBaby.com, among others. Kristin writes articles and how-to videos for ZiggityZoom.com, as well as many other parenting related websites as she encourage parents to find ways to spark kids' imagination, creativity and to explore the world around them. Kristin can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

If your kids are like most, they come home from school and head straight to
the kitchen. Not surprising as many school lunch periods start as early
as 10:30AM; these kids are ravenous after 5 hours of “fasting”. Sometimes
they have an after school activity further delaying their next feeding!

So what should you do when your child comes home starving?

You first need to answer a few questions. What time is your child’s
lunch period? Are they served a snack in school? Kids’ eating
schedules vary depending on age. For example, younger kids generally have
a mid-morning snack while older kids don’t. Your kids should never go more
than four hours without eating something. If your older child isn’t
allotted a set snack time, consider sending a portable snack in their
backpacks. Many of my patients eat their snacks in between classes.

Next you need to know if they are eating their entire lunch or throwing most
of it away. Don’t assume that your kids eat everything you send in with
them. If you think your kids are not eating lunch, call the
teacher. Don’t be afraid to express your concerns.

Do they go to an after school program that serves snacks? Can you send
a snack with them? These answers will help determine how hungry they will
be when they get home from school.

What time do you normally serve dinner? If dinner is early (around
5:00-5:30), afternoon snack should be somewhat small. If you serve dinner
late, you should offer a large afternoon snack.

Finally, sit down as a family and create a list of healthy snacks. Be
sure to discuss portions sizes so your kids understand that even healthy foods
have calories. Offer healthy choices instead of dictating which snacks
your kids eat.

In summary, your kids should eat every four hours. Figure out their
schedules and fit in snacks at appropriate intervals. Ideally, snacks
should consist of a combination of protein and fiber. Avoid sugary
snacks, like 100 calorie packs, that simply spike blood sugar levels and cause
your kids to have a sugar crash.

Our new ebook shows how easy it is to use VolunteerSpot to make parent teacher conferences the simplest task of the school year. Click here to view.

Scheduling parents into conference slots can be one of the hardest parts of the Parent Teacher Conference season. With so many parents juggling work and home obligations, finding conference times that work for all parents sometimes feels impossible. Have parents sign themselves up on VolunteerSpot and save everyone's time and sanity!

Helpful Tips for Parents to Make the Most of These Meetings:

Be on Time:

You only have a short time with your child"s teacher and other parents are scheduled after you.

Bring Questions:

What would you like to know about classroom, academic or social happenings? What request do you have for the teacher?

Surface Concerns:

What concerns do you have about your child's performance? Bring work samples and be prepared with examples.

Ask for Examples:

If the teacher doesn't get specific, ask for examples of what your child does well and needs to work on.

Participate:

Parent involvement is one of the highest predictors of student success. Ask how you can help your child better meet the learning objectives. Explore opportunities for volunteering in the classroom or at school.

Say Thank You:

Sincerely thank the teacher for his or her time and hard work with your child.

"VolunteerSpot has been the answer to my prayers for an easy way to have parents sign up for a parent-teacher conference!! It was easy to create and easy for parents to use. It really cut down on paper and notes back and forth." ~ Jennifer, 4th Grade Teacher, Apex, NC

Please tell us a little about yourself and about your work with Safe Harbor.

I am the volunteer coordinator for Safe Harbor, a homeless shelter serving 20 single homeless men and 20 single homeless women in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I've held this position for over four years and it has grown tremendously. At first, I coordinated about 35 volunteers and worked approximately 12-15 hours per week, but when we completed renovations on the shelter this year, doubling our capacity, we expanded our list to over 85 volunteers! These volunteers work directly with our residents. We also have a Food Services Director who works with over 250 volunteers!

What are your volunteer needs for Safe Harbor?

We have five volunteer shifts every day of the year. These volunteers assist our evening staff and work directly with residents. The volunteers distribute mail, messages, and faxes to residents, collect and distribute resident's needs, dine and socialize with residents and help supervise resident chores. They also help when residents move in or pack up their belongings if they leave.

We also utilize volunteers in the kitchen cooking and/or serving meals. We offer a community lunch Monday through Friday, and provide two dinners per week. Volunteers can sign up in advance to prepare a meal or serve and clean up after the meal. In addition, we utilize volunteers to provide an activity for our residents. We currently offer Yoga, Art Appreciation, Computer Connection and Knitting classes, Card Club, Game Night, and Movie Night.

How did you get interested in volunteering?Do you also volunteer in other areas of your life?

Growing up in a family that was committed to our church and community, I have volunteered all my life. I did extensive volunteering while my children were in elementary school, starting with lunch room mom and evolving to lead the school's Spring Fair and then becoming Home and School president. In between my commitments with their school, I volunteered as the director of our local food pantry for over two years which eventually led to the Manager of Food Programs in our county, leading the distribution of food and funding to over 40 feeding agencies.

Do you have one piece of advice for volunteers or their leaders out there?

Since I've been both a volunteer and coordinator of volunteers my best piece of advice would be to make sure every single volunteer that comes to your organization is given the opportunity to feel important and included in the mission of the organization. It is important to delegate the work and not try to do everything yourself because there is no need for that.

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

The time it took me to schedule over 85 volunteers every other month was incredible. Since I work only part-time and many of our volunteers have full time jobs, it was difficult for me to catch everyone by phone. The calls back and forth could add up to 3 or 4 calls per volunteer. VolunteerSpot is meeting a great need for our agency and after using it for just one month, it has been extremely successful and welcoming to the volunteers.

Welcome to Tidy Thursday! Here at VolunteerSpot, we’re committed to simplifying the busy lives of parents, teachers and active volunteers. Along that theme, we’re pleased to present guest organization expert April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach! Today, April shares tips on how to streamline the craziness of the back-to-school routine. Thanks, April!

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Organizing at Back-to-School

By April Welch

Streamlining life in the fall can seem a little ... well ... crazy!

I mean really, how do you streamline when your schedule has absolutely NO holes in it???

Ah-ha!

I have some tips! {you knew I would!}

I loved Tuesday's post about Healthy Snacks for those busy kiddos in your life ~ but I wanted to shift the focus a bit to the big picture.

Making the best choices with the time you have.

So, here was my afternoon yesterday {no, I'm not making this up!}

Pick kids up from school

Take both kids to dentist appt {1 hr}

Take the Pipsqueak to his annual check up {1 hr}

Drop Pipsqueak off at football practice {2 hrs}

Bring Teenager home

Remind Teenager about homework & chores

Get dinner started

Pick up Pipsqueak from practice

Eat dinner {@ 8pm ... ugghh}

Spend quality time together as a family

Now, I'm sure you can see there really wasn't any time right? We ran from one thing to another {to another}. And what I didn't list was the unpredictables. Like between 2 & 3 chatting with my girlfriend {& secretary} at the Dentist's office or running into another one of my girlfriends between 4 & 5. Or about the #GNO I attended on Twitter during 6 & 7? I'm gonna call this multi-tasking at it's best!

Another thing to note? I was smiling, laughing & generally in a good mood during it all. How? {you might be wondering?} Easy. I knew it was coming!

The best strategy I can teach any of my clients this time of year is to survey "what's next". Whether you're looking at tomorrow, the whole week or just the weekend plans you can easily prepare yourself {& the rest of your co-habitants} for the chaos.

Here's how I did it:

I ran to the store the night before, when things were a little calmer, grabbed snacks like pretzels ~ bananas ~ peanuts {all things I knew I would eat too}.

When I dropped everyone off at school in the morning I reminded them we were on a "go-go-go" schedule this afternoon, so come straight to the car after school was out.

Before I picked them up I wrapped up what needed my attention for the next few hours & met the kiddos in the parking lot ready to give them my undivided attention for the ride {with healthy snacks in tow}.

I had a few blog posts to read on my phone {using Read It Later}, but knew it was pretty unlikely I would need them since one of my close friends is the secretary & we would probably chat the entire time {& we did}

I chatted with the Teenager during the Pipsqueak's annual appointment

I ran into another close girlfriend in the parking lot during football practice drop off & chatted about game schedules for her kids.

Then, right there in the parking lot, bumped into my neighbor & requested he bring the Pipsqueak home from practice. {what great Karma!!}

I didn't really have a plan for dinner {since we all know I can burn water & Fire Dad was on shift} but I did manage to create a healthy meal with tortillas, salad, shredded cheese, a can of tuna & some dressing {yum-yum}

And finally, when everyone was home we cuddled in front of some new prime-time shows {thank goodness for the DVR!}.

Phew!

So, why share all that with you? Now you'll be on the same page when I tell you that ~ I had quality girl time, kid time & I felt guilt free when we settled in to relax.

Yea, the afternoon was crazy. But I approached it with an understanding of the chaos & was able to roll with the punches.

While her philosophies are centered on how individuals are ‘wired’ she believes in providing a fun and educational environment with simple solutions to all organizing dilemmas. She offers live workshops, virtual organizing, tele-classes, habit assessments, public speaking, a radio show online and most recently Mental Clutter Coaching. April is the Franklin Covey® Family Organizing Guru & the Spokesperson for ListPlanIt.com April can be found on: Facebook and Twitter

Our Director of Marketing, Katie, volunteered her big, beautiful, brain to various non-profits when she made her first trip down here to New Orleans. How? She went to neighborhood association meetings and asked how she could help. She went to The Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations’ (LANO) meetings and made contacts. She presented her resume to leaders and said ‘I’ve got this big, beautiful, business brain that I want to volunteer to your organization.”

It goes without saying that volunteering your skills to non-profits is an excellent way to network, but it also keeps your skills fresh. After all, if you’ve been fluffing around the house for eight months on an “internet job search,” some of your strengths may have gotten a bit musty. That’s what recruiters think, anyway, and volunteering your skills is an excellent way to show that you’ve been “working,” even when you’re not working for money.

Here’s how to do it!

1.) Go to a coffee shop with Wi-Fi. You don’t have a laptop? Go to an Internet café with desktop computers. I know you have a computer at home, but going to a coffee shop will help you resist the urge to crawl into your pajamas and slither to your computer to check your email for the 100th time while googling cute baby lamb videos. You aren’t a slug, and your pajamas with little snowmen are kind of cute but kind of weird because it’s summer. Get dressed and go to a coffee shop, and you will be so much more productive. Trust me.

2.) Now that you’re squared away in a coffee shop, research non-profits that are deserving of your mad skills. But wait! Don’t only search for organizations, search for meetings and events, real world gatherings that will get you off your butt and meeting people. After all, this is about action.

Start thinking:

Is there a local coalition of non-profits in my area? Do they have a regular meeting open to the public? If so, you should attend the meetings with your resume and desire to volunteer.

Are there active neighborhood associations in my city – particularly those connected with communities in need? Visit.

What other meetings are listed in the local newspaper? Oh yeah, and that thing called the internet. Get online, check out Meetup.com, and also the Facebook Pages of organizations you admire. You’ll find lots of events and meetings to choose from.

3.) Okay you got your list? Print it out and tape it on your forehead so you can absorb the good energy of progress. Then tape it to your refrigerator so you can make a schedule.

Yes, you need to make a calendar for your volunteer endeavors because it’s going to take time and commitment. That calendar should be full– that’s part of the reason why this experience will look so good on your resume.

4.) Now is the toughest part of their entire process. You go. You do. You meet. You plan. You talk. You network. You help. You sweat. No excuses, no whining, no “But I’m going to miss Jersey Shore,” no “I’d rather be surfing in a big silty lake in the middle of the city.” No. You go to the meetings. You lead the random bus tour. You build a house, or a dig a trench. You organize events, or tutor kids, or you even learn how to recycle old paint. (Katie did all of those things.) You do things you want to do and things you don’t want to do, because everything is an experience that helps you grow while you’re unemployed.

5.) Don’t get daunted if non-profits don’t seem to want your volunteer-brain. Organizations, especially non-profits, are tight on resources, so they have to factor in the cost and time of training you about their organization. Make sure you thoroughly research the organization beforehand so they don’t have to do extra work. And, be flexible enough to bounce around between organizations so that your time is only used when you’re really needed.

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Lauren McCabe is the chief blogger for KODA, an online community that connects young professionals with employers and job opportunities. To read more of her career advice, inspiration, and humor check out The KODA Community Blog and connect with KODA on twitter @KODAus.

Our kids are involved in so many activities these days, it seems we spend hours in the car driving them from one place to the other. Sitting down to a family meal is more the exception than the rule, so providing healthy snacks at their sports events is more important than ever.

Gone are the days of unhealthy snacking - showing up with a container full of cupcakes, cookies, or bags of chips will elicit certain disapproving frowns from team parents.

But who has time to make healthy snacks?

The supermarket is filled with healthy, ready-made alternatives, if you know where to look. Bring the kids to the store so they can learn how to read labels and make smart choices, and teach them early about the benefits of healthy snacking.

Get your kids on the path to healthy eating by setting a good example. They will have more energy, less sugar, and will be more likely to win the game! Remember to use VolunteerSpot to coordinate the snack schedule for your kids soccer, baseball, football, volleyball, gymnastics, softball, hockey, track or lacrosse team!

Today, Lian Dolan, creator of The Chaos Chronicles, provides tips on how to improve your public speaking skills, a crucial talent to have with back-to-school officially upon us and all kinds of school meetings starting up. Thanks Lian!

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Presentation 101: How to Wow the Board at Your Next Volunteer Meeting

By Lian Dolan

There is nothing that can raise your profile faster—be it at work or on a volunteer board—than good presentations skills.Everybody notices a volunteer that can come in and give a crisp, concise committee report or run a meeting with confidence. Yet public speaking is on the top of a lot of people’s list of Things I Loathe Doing. Yes, standing up in a room full of people and imparting information can be nervous-making; I’ve done a lot and I still get butterflies. Which is why, over the years, I’ve honed my style and developed some rules.For those of you who are on the next agenda, here are my suggestions for presentations:

#1 Work on Your Material

My theory is that people who don’t like public speaking choose not to prepare because they think it will be “better” if they wing it. It isn’t. If you know you are set to speak at a meeting, even if it is simply to give the final tally for the bake sale, write down your information and have it at hand when it is your turn.Nothing can ruin a presentation quicker than a speaker searching for the date of an event or the contact information of a key person.If your report is longer and more complicated, even more reason to organize your thoughts.Forget jokes, opening lines and the need to tell everybody you are going to “keep it brief.” Just keep it brief and relate the big ideas. Edit out any details that aren’t relative to the whole group and leave any specific questions directed at one or two people for a side chat after the meeting.

#2 Practice, Practice, Practice

Did I mention practice? Yes, your report will get better the more you do it. So, even if you think you look dorky running through it in front of the mirror or in the car, get over it.Nothing says, “I know what I’m doing” like familiarity with your own material. And, in the course of practicing, you’ll be able to focus the message and cut the length as needed.

#3 Stick to the time limit

If you are given 5 minutes to talk, then talk for 5 minutes. The time limits are there for a reason.In the course of a long meeting with multiple speakers, going over the time limit infringes upon the patience of the audience. And reflects poorly on you. If you practice, practice, practice, you will know exactly how long your presentation is.

#4 Speak Up

If you are talking, the audience would like to hear you!Use a microphone if offered and put it up to your mouth. Holding a mic two feet from your face does not provide amplification and frustrates a room full of people who see your mouth moving but have no idea what you are saying.Nervous about speaking into a microphone? Then get to the meeting early and do a sound check to get comfortable.

#5 Be You

You were given a key role in your volunteer organization because you are good at something, not because you are a powerful orator or sage! Don’t get hung up on being the smartest person in the room when you present, you just have to know your stuff. Be warm, prepared and informed about what you are working on. That’s 90 percent of presentation skills right there!

School Carnivals, Fall Festivals, Halloween Parties.. Oh MY!

Fall carnivals and festivals are the products of LOTS of creativity and hands-on support. Check out our best fall carnival and fall festival ideas below, as well as a treasure trove of tips, resources, and sign up sheets.

6. Boost turnouts and profits with social media! Spread the word on facebook and twitter, click HERE

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Once you have your planning and volunteers lined up, you’ll love this article describing Free or Nearly Free ideas to make games and provide prizes! (Be sure to read the great comment ideas from VolunteerSpot readers!) With a little advance notice and savvy planning your School Carnival will be a financial success without turning all your volunteers into ghastly ghouls, saving everyone time and stress.

Wanting to make your next school carnival a success? See what these school party experts have to say on the subject:

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Quick Dinner Ideas for the School Year

By Dot Dorsner

The kids are back in school, and with that comes soccer practice, play dates, homework, and countless other things that get in the way of a relaxed dinnertime routine. If you're like us, you need some dinner ideas which can be pulled together quickly, and get everyone fed in a somewhat healthy manner, that doesn't involve pulling out frozen chicken nuggets or grabbing takeout on the way home.
Here are 5 tasty, mostly-healthy, cost effective, go-to meals--friendly to both kid and adult alike-- to add to your weeknight repertoire. Generally under 30 minutes to prepare, they rely on quick cooking ingredients and pantry and fridge staples.

When your refrigerator is empty, but you do at least still have some eggs on hand, breakfast for dinner is a perfect solution! This version relies on that freezer staple, frozen spinach, but can obviously be adapted to what you have on hand. Kids especially seem to love eating breakfast at night... and it's an easy and quick solution to that dinner dilemma. Read the whole thing and get the recipe: Dinner in 15 minutes: Broccoli and Cheese Frittata
Related: Spinach Gorgonzola Frittata

This recipe fits two criteria for quick meal solutions... you can make it ahead of time and just reheat it from the fridge (or even the freezer), or you can pull it together on the spur of the moment. I always try to keep smoked sausage on hand, as well as broth, tomatoes, and beans. This is one of those dishes that once you've mastered the basics, you can experiment endlessly for different results, based on what you happen to have on hand that evening. This particular version features Turkey Smoked Sausage, Pinto Beans, and Chicken, and has a bit of a Cajun flair. Go get the recipe: Pinto Bean and Turkey Sausage Soup
Related: 30 Minute Vegetable Soup, Dirty Rice with Smoked Sausage

Just because a meal is fast doesn't mean it can't be appealing... this Shrimp and Grits would work equally well for dinner party as for a family dinner night. It takes advantage of the quick cooking nature of it's key ingredients, and while shrimp isn't exactly a pantry staple, plan ahead to have these few simple ingredients on hand, and this meal comes together quickly and easily. Steamed asparagus or broccoli or a green salad would make a lovely, and equally quick, side dish. Go get the recipe: Shrimp and Bacon over Sour Cream Grits
Related: Goat Cheese, Corn, & Shrimp Wraps

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Brought to you by our friends at Foodwhirl and written by Dot Dorsner. Learn more about Dot at:

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Back to the School Year Mayhem

By Adam Cohen

I remember the time when I was a kid, laying in bed the days before school was to start, thinking of all the things that a new grade, or a new school had to offer. I especially remember the night before the drive to college with my father. I also remember my mom and dad the days before school started, they had clearly been worn out by us (my sister and myself) being home and fighting each other after camp.

I think my mom was almost excited to take us shopping for school supplies. I know she was never happy with the amounts of money that were spent – its costs a small fortune to pay for all the items a kid will need these days. My cousin just started the 5th grade and his back-to-school shopping request was a new laptop. I wish that was possible back in my days – I had an Apple 2GS and that was it!

Thankfully or not, my son isn't really ready for school yet… although I plan to educate him in the ways of not pooping his pants this year (yah that’ll be fun!). I know that some parents are happy to send their kids off on the bus – some parents aren't happy and try to get on the bus as well (just for the record, you embarrass your kid and yourself when you do this).

I’d also be remiss in my responsibilities not to point out funny items I’ve seen being forwarded around some email boxes…

10 Misconceptions of Moms and Back-to-School

Misconception #1: Moms miss their kids when they go back to school

Seriously. I’ve had enough of you by now. Every morning with the “what are we going to do today, Mom?” is finally over. I’ve looked at your face twenty-four seven for the last 77 days. It’s time to go learn something. No more asking me about the pool, when the next snack is or if you can stay up late and watch a movie. It’s over. You’re going back to Hogwarts and I get to have a life again. There is a Christmas morning for parents and it’s called “back to school”.

Misconception #2: Moms like to go school shopping.

Are you freaking kidding me? Why do I pay taxes? So I can rack up a $200 bill at Staples for crap that we have laying around my house in junk drawers. Why does it have to be new pencils? What’s wrong with the chewed up, broken Strawberry Shortcake pencils sitting in the bottom of the toy box for the last 6 months? And how many subject books can you possibly need? What happened to reading, writing and arithmetic. If they added a couple of things for parents to that list I wouldn’t mind so much. Why not pencils, erasers and vodka …or some Nyquil.

Misconception #3: Moms like back to school night.

Why must we do this every year? I got it already. You’re the teacher. I’m the parent. My kid is either going to be smart or dumb. If he gets a certain number or colored dot on his discipline chart, he can get a prize from the prize box. Pretty simple stuff. Listen, I’m pretty old school. If he doesn’t listen to you, you can throw something at him. I don’t care. But I got a lot of work to do at home and I’m paying a babysitter right now. Plus, I’m pretty sure you are going to assign some project on wigwams made by some Indian tribe I’ve never heard of, so I need to get home and start my research. So, I got it. We’re all here for the betterment of the kids. Blah Blah Blah. Can I leave now?

Misconception #4: Moms like school paperwork.

How many trees are you planning on killing to tell me the same stuff I had to pay a babysitter to listen to the other night? You know our name, where we live and our emergency phone numbers. He doesn’t have a nickname. Call him “stinkbutt” for all I care. We don’t have any “special circumstances” that you need to know about. He lives in a home with two parents who may or may not like each other at any given time and they will fight. If that qualifies as a reason he can’t get his homework done on time then he won’t be able to function as an adult and have a real job so you may want to “educate” him on that life lesson.

What exactly will you be doing with these books that I have to cover them in a plastic laminate? Do you often teach in the rain? Or while the children are drinking soda and eating soup? Do you know how long that takes? Has any parent in the history of education been able to do it without any air bubbles in it? From now on I’m covering it the old way. Brown paper bags. That way I can cover the books and pack their lunches at that same time. Who says moms can’t multitask?

P.S. Please tell my son if he can’t find his lunch to look in his science book.

Misconception #6: Moms like helping you with your homework.

What? I am scared out of my mind. I’m pretty sure that I forgot everything I learned in fifth grade by the time I was in sixth grade. I have no idea what you are talking about most days. I don’t really know my 12 times tables, I read the cliff notes to all your summer reading and I don’t know how to conjugate anything but I do know that song “conjuction junction what’s your function” if that helps at all. And please don’t even say the words “new math” to me. What the heck was wrong the old one?

Misconception #7: Moms can’t wait to pack your lunch every day until we die.

I hate doing laundry. Making dinner every night is the bane of my existence, so making your lunch every day for an entire year, in terms of “mom fun”, lies somewhere between brushing plaque off the dog's teeth and scheduling my annual pap smear. Listen, as a child I hated what my mom packed me for lunch. But, like every kid before me, and every generation to come, you will find a kid to trade with. I’m sure someone likes sardines.

Misconception #8: Moms love after-school activities.

I don’t know who made up this idea of organized clubs and sports but they should be the ones in charge of carting your ass around. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against all after-school programs. I just wish they would offer it during hours that would work best for me so that dinner wasn’t at 8:30 at night followed by 4 hours of homework. Why not do it on the weekends and call it “after-hours activities” so mommy and daddy could actually go out one night and pretend that we have a life of our own. Don’t worry about us though, I’m sure that me and “what’s his name” will be married a very long time.

Misconception #9: Moms don’t mind taking you to school if you miss the bus.

Your bus comes at 7:10 am. Which means that you should be standing by the door at 7:05 am. Not eating breakfast, chasing the dog around the house, or in the bathroom, asking me to check your homework while I’m taking a shower. Get it together! I don’t like running down the street in my jammies at 7:12 screaming “Please wait” or “If you stop I’ll show you my boobies.”

Misconception #10: Moms cry on your first day of school.

We do cry but they are tears of joy. I have done my job. I have successfully kept a human child alive for at least 5 years without doing any major damage. Motherhood is the hardest job in the world!! Sure, doctors save lives and CEO’s run million dollar businesses, but you teach a kid not to poop their pants and then you can say you’ve made the world a better place.

I laughed at that a lot and I think you can almost interchange mom for dad on most… I know I’m looking forward to the days of my son coming home telling me that amazing new fact he learned in school and helping with homework (in some cases doing it for him – like my dad did for me).

* * *

Adam Cohen, founder of dadarocks.com,
is a NYC based daddy blogger. While enjoying the company of his wife
and toddler son, he manages to be the Director of Web Services at New
York Law School and a social media entrepreneur. Adam has extensive
technology and communications experience with non-profit organizations,
as well as a New Media Design and Imaging degree from Rochester
Institute of Technology. His ability to leverage the Internet to create
synergies among his blog visitors comes from his passion for
fatherhood, social media and sharing. Blog:dadarocks.com Twitter:@dadarocks

* * *

Room Mom Duties

By Rachel Matthews

I love school.

I love back to school.

Both as a child and now as a parent, school holds beautiful memories and the promise of hope and possibilities.
My mom was an elementary school teacher so I have a unique insiders perspective because I grew up inside the schools. From mid August to early June the classrooms, the hallways, the workroom, the smells of hot laminate and fresh books, microwaved lunches and hot coffee are as much a part of my school memories as placing my precious crayons and notebooks inside my own desk.

I grew up creating bulletin boards for my mom's classroom, writing student's names on their desk placards and purpling my fingers with the hot copies straight out of the copy machine.
I remember the teacher's excitement just as vividly as the students and I remember seeing the difference in the classrooms of the teachers who were lucky enough to have involved parents and those who didn't.

A teacher's day starts long before they walk into the classroom and lasts until long after their own students are in bed. There are so many little tasks to be done; papers to be cut, or put together and stapled, names to be put on folders, parties to be organized, classroom party gifts to be purchased... the list goes on and on.

As a little girl I just knew that I was destined to be a teacher, or a stay at home/PTA/room mom/soccer mom.

Well, I'm one of those ;-)

Last year I was the kinder room mom for my daughter's class and I took on a lot to help out our teacher but, I saw once again that there wasn't enough help. So, I went to the principal and asked her if I could be trained to help in the workroom, to help out the ladies who work there and also work as reading Aides and lunchroom monitors and so many other things, I asked if I could go in and spend time in there, lightening their loads. She agreed.

I'm blessed to have the time available to spend in my daughter's school, as PTA Vice President, as room mom and as school volunteer. Not everyone has that time and we all know that.
However, whether you have 1 hour a week, 1 day a week or 10 hours a week to donate your time, trust me when I tell you that every. single. moment is appreciated a thousand times over.

Here are a few ideas for helping out:
If you have the time to volunteer at the school:

In The School

Help out a couple hours a week reading one on one with students who may be struggling

Volunteer to be a room parent, co-room parent, classroom helper

Volunteer to work as a lunchroom monitor or helper (there are just never enough hands)

Volunteer to help with drop off and pick up assistance

Ask about helping out in the workroom area or as an aide to the librarian

Join the PTA/PTO

At Home

Your child's teacher may be overwhelmed with Sight Words, Math Fact Cards, Science Cards etc... things that need to be cut out and organized and placed into bags for each student

When you order your kids books from the book orders, order a couple of extra as a gift for the class

You can always send a note in your child's backpack letting the teacher know that while you aren't available for help during the school hours, you're more than willing to assist in any way after school or with things that you can do at home. Let the teacher know that you're there to support him/her and you're willing to help in any way.

Do you have any other ideas? I'd love to know how you've helped in your child's classroom or school whether it's within the school walls, or outside of them.

Elementary and preschool classrooms around the country are beginning a new year and VolunteerSpot is hoping to inspire more parents to get involved in their child’s classroom as a Room Mom (or Room Dad).

Because class parents are so important to the everyday workings of the classroom, VolunteerSpot, has published “The Room Mom Survival Guide,” a free eBook to help classroom parents and teachers achieve a successful school year.

Jamie, a first grade teacher and collaborator at Crafting Chicks had this to say,

"What I love about my room mom is... VOLUNTEERS rock! Not only do they help the teacher, the student's experience is enriched when parents are active and involved in their school and classrooms."

Those who are already a Room Mom or are thinking of becoming a Room Mom or Class Parent in their child’s class will find several pages of ideas and best practices that will ‘wow’ the teacher, save time and get more parents involved this school year.

Room Moms coordinate other class parents to ensure the teacher is well-supported in the classroom and help make class parties and events even more fun. Taking on the role of Room Mom can seem daunting at first, but with a bit of practice, and some guidance from VolunteerSpot, any mom or dad can become a skilled classroom parent.

Cindy Hopper, a Kansas mom of 3 and founder of Skip to My Lou, treasures her own Room Mom experience in saying:

"I get to develop a personal relationship with the teacher and I get a window on my child's daily world at school."

Looking for a little more encouragement to become the room mom? Step up knowing you're in good company! We've learned these awesome bloggers are also Room Moms: